"Russia must stop its military activity and its threats," he said in a brief statement before opening crisis talks with Nato's 28 ambassadors. "Today we will discuss the implications for European security."

Speaking as Ukraine's interim authorities accused Russia of triggering "a red alert" with what was "actually a declaration of war", Rasmussen said he had convened the North Atlantic Council "because of President Putin's threats against this sovereign nation".

"What Russia is doing now in Ukraine violates the principles of the United Nations Charter. It threatens peace and security in Europe. Russia must stop its military activities and its threats."

"We support Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. We support the right of the people of Ukraine to determine their own future without outside interference.

"And we emphasise the need for Ukraine to continue to uphold the democratic rights of all people and ensure that minority rights are protected.

"Ukraine is our neighbour, and Ukraine is a valued partner for Nato."

It was urgent to de-escalate "this dangerous situation", he concluded.

24.com publishes all comments posted on articles provided that they adhere to our Comments Policy. Should you wish to report a comment for editorial review, please do so by clicking the 'Report Comment' button to the right of each comment.

Tell us a bit about yourself:

Saving your profile

Settings

News24 allows you to edit the display of certain components based on a location.
If you wish to personalise the page based on your preferences, please select a
location for each component and click "Submit" in order for the changes to
take affect.

Your Location*

Weather*

Always remember my setting

Saving your settings

Facebook Sign-In

Hi News addict,

Join the News24 Community to be involved in breaking the news.

Log in with Facebook to comment and personalise news, weather and listings.